This full-time homeschooling placement took place in Cernobbio, Italy, and was designed to relieve the pressure of long school commutes and restore a sense of balance to family life. The two brothers (aged 11 and 15) had been attending a school that involved over two hours of daily travel, leaving them fatigued and with little time for rest, creative pursuits, or quality time together as a family.

Role of the Tutor

The elder brother, academically capable and driven, had begun to fall behind despite his best efforts. The fast pace of his school and the gaps in foundational knowledge were eroding his confidence and making him hesitant to ask for help. His younger brother was a bright, multilingual student with mild ADHD, who benefited from clear structure and calm authority. He was expressive, humorous, and eager to learn, particularly when lessons were adapted to his interests and learning style.

Three full-time Tutors were appointed to design and deliver a bespoke educational programme for both boys, with the flexibility to accommodate family travel and extracurricular interests. This was a broad, ambitious role - not only academic but pastoral.

The older student followed a hybrid curriculum that would allow him to keep doors open to future study in multiple systems: US, UK, or IB. The Tutors delivered core subjects aligned to credit-bearing US high school courses, while also preparing him for IGCSE exams where appropriate. The focus was not only academic improvement but restoring confidence, ownership of learning, and critical thinking.

For the younger boy, the Tutors created a programme that supported his language development across English, Italian, and his third language, while gently addressing focus and attention through consistent routines. He thrived with Tutors who could balance structure with humour and sensitivity.

The Tutors integrated real-world business concepts into the boys’ learning, in keeping with the family’s desire for them to gain a solid understanding of the family business. This included mini-projects, case studies, and observational visits where appropriate.

Above all, the Tutors helped the family reclaim precious time. Time for reading, guitar, outdoor sports, and simply being together without exhaustion.

The placement ran for four years full-time with significant academic and personal growth for both boys. The eldest completed nine IGCSEs, and three A levels and was accepted to both his first choice of US college and his top UK university choice. The younger brother’s literacy and language use improved markedly, and his ADHD symptoms were successfully managed without any increase in medication. The family reported a profound shift in lifestyle with less rushing and more meaningful family time. Four years with the Tutors gave them time to travel and explore different cultures as a part of their normal schooling routine – flourishing academically and emotionally – that would not have been possible in a traditional school environment.